Drilling appliance



Feb. 14, 192. G. A. MONTGOMERY DRILLING APPLIANCE Filed Sepc. '15. 1925 Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

. GUSTAVU'S A. MONTGOMERY, 0F TITUSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRILLING .ariaranrrcmt-AI Application lled September joints ofthe drill stem or the twisting of' the cable block lines when pulling out or running in drill pipe, which so breaks up, pulverizes and handles the drillings or detritus as to facilitate and insure the uptlow thereof and preclude the possibility of the drilling equipment mudding upI and sticking in the well hole, which sets yup reglons or zonesfo hi h pressure, causing the mud to plaster .line the wall ofthe well hole and thereb 'seal olf the outlying formation e and which is of simple and durable construcv tion showing particularl e tion, reliable andv eflicient in operation and adapted to be manufactured at a comparatively slight expense from materials by means of facilities ordinarily available.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel featuresof the construction, arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter' more fully described'and pointedfout inv the appended claims, re erence being had tothe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevatheinvention embodied in a rotary drilling tool, and r Figures 2- and 3 are horizontal sectional views on lines 2-2 and 3 3, respectively, of Figure L() Referring the drawings it will be seen that for the sake of illustration the invention is shown vas embodied in a rotary drilljing tool'but itshould be understood that' it is equally well )ada ted for embodiment in the percussion or ca le type tool.

In the embodiment shown a hollow rotary drill stem is designated at 1 and carriesa drill bit or cutter 2 at its forward end, the

bit 2 having a conventional discharge openin 3' for the mud or washing Huid.

/ e present invention `resides in the provision of a plurality of sets of wings or paddles at spaced` intervals along the drill the wine4 1 5, 1925. serial No. 53,526.-

stem, designated at 5 and 6. Each set of wingsv includes a number of parallel wings tyvisted in spiral fashion around the drill s em.

In the embodiment illustrated four wings are' shown in each set. f The wings 5 are in the form of left hand spirals, the wings 6 in the form of right hand spirals, that is, the wings 5 and 6 are oppositely inclined around the drill stem with respect to each other. All of the wings are relatively short, have the same longitudinal extent along, and are spacedat equal angular intervals about the drill stem,

l One of the important features of the nv ention resides in the provision of the o positely directed sets of spirally exten 1n wings, the wings being relatively short an the sets being spaced along the drill stem. In the operation of the tool this arrangement sets up in-the spaces intervening between g high pressure areas 7 due to the -factthat the mud fluid is forced into these areas by adjacent sets of wings. These high l pressure areas result in directing the mud fluid laterally outward against the wall of the mud hole and cause the mud fluid to plaster or line the wall of the well hole to seal off the outlying formations.

The drill stem 1 is provided with an axial opening 10 through which the washing Huid 1s pumped in the usual way. In order to aid .the action of the spaced sets of relatively short and oppositely directed spiral blades breaking up and pulverizing the drillings or detritus especially when drilling through stlcky formations, such as gumbo or the like, the drill stem and wings are provided with uid passages 1l and 12 which extend from the opening 10 laterally out through the blades and which communicate with transversely extending passages 13 constituting discharge iiets, the passages 13 being relatlvel-y sma l. Similar discharge jets or passages 15 are provided in the drill stem between the wings. The passages 11 and 12 may be formed by drilling through one wing and the drill stem and out through the opposite wing to a point adjacent to but spaced from its periphery andthen closin the opening 12 where it leads out .throug wings by means of a suitable plug 16.

' The discharge jets 13 open through the faces of the blades so that the washing fluid under pressure is forced out at points distribute over the facesl of the blades, thereone of the by washing away any accumulations that may tend to build up thereon.

The circulation and agitation of the drillin sis further enhanced by the provision of re atively large transverse openings 18 in the wings, the openings 18 permitting some of the mud and fluid to pass by the blades and thereby aid the fluid in the prevention of clogging or sticking. Of course, it is to be understood that the drillings or detritus are carried up to the surface by the washing fluid which is pumped `down through the drill stem under pressure and which rises up on the outside of the drill stein and carries the drillings or detritus with it. The wings which applicant provides are constituted to cause the tool to drill a true and straight hole of uniform formation and yet preclude against any possibility or' the tool sticking even in gummy or sticky formations. The Jfeature of providing sets ot oppositely inclined blades or wings causes the wings of one set to counteract the tendency of the wings of the other set to turn the tool andin this way will prevent unscrewing of the joints or twisting of the casing block lines in pulling out or running in the drill pipe which would otherwise occur as the result of the frictional engagement of the Wings of the stem with the wall of the well hole. This advantage is not possible with any tool heretofore proposed. The provision of a plurality of spaced sets of relatively short blades adds little, if any, weight to the conventional drill stem and yet provides a stili and rigid stem of great strength. The spiral wings being oppositely directed will cut away any inwardly directed projections that may occur` on the walls of the well hole. In this respect the feature of having oppositely directed blades is especially important since it prevents hard inwardly extending projections from acting as keys and merely causing the wings to turn on the pro'ections. Moreover, the oppositel directe spiralwings insure the format1on` of a truly circular well hole since the win exert a shearin action on thev wall of t e well hole in bot directions. Due to the churning action of the oppositejly directed spiral wings and to the action of the transverse mixing holes 18 the drillings arebroken up and pulverized and are prevented from budding u a solid and continuous mass. 4The cruci crm cross section of each `eet of Wings enables it to be cheaply and easil formed by ordinary forging methods. As ustrated in the drawings the wings are preferably integral with the drill stein. Of course, they may be separate and suitably connected thereto.`

1. In a drill, a one piece drill stein section having a plurality of spaced sets ot' relatively short spiral wings integrally formed with the stein, said wings of the adjacent sets being alternately oppositely sloped.

2. In a drilling device of the character described, a drill stem having a plurality ot' spaced sets of relatively short spiral wings, t e wings of longitudinally adjacent sets being oppositely sloped.

3. In a drilling device of the character described, a cruciform in cross section body aiiordin radial wings, each wing being provided with a plurality of radially extending fluid passages therethrough, the said wings being relatively short and being arranged in spaced sets longitudinally oi the drill stem with alternate wings of each set cxtending spirally and oppositely sloped.

4. In a drilling device of the character described, a'hollow drill stein, and ay plurality of sets of relatively short and oppositely sloped spiral wings arranged at spaced intervals along the drill stein, cach wing having a number ot lateral fluid passages communicating with the hollow drill stem and with small transverse passages constituting discharge jets. i

5. In a drilling device ot the character described, a hollow drill stein, and a plurality of sets of relatively short and oppositely v sloped spiral wings arranged at spaced intervals along the drill stem, each wing having a number ot lateral fluid passages communicating with the hollow drill stem and with small transverse passages constituting discharge jets, said wings also having relatively large transverse openings facilitating circulation and agitation ot the mud fluid. j

6. In a drilling device of the character described, a hollow drill stem, and a plurality of sets of relatively short and o positely sloped spiral wings arrange at spaced intervals along the drill stern. each wing having a numberl of lateral fluid assages communicating with the hollow rill stem and with small transverse passages constituting discharge jets, said wings also havingl relatively large transverse openine's facilitatingcirculation and agitation of t e mud fluid, said drill stem having huid discharge passages4 intermediate the wings.

'GUSTAVUS A. MONTGOMERY. 

